The Doctor, The Arena and the Legacy of Harry Potter
by sophie's-in-the-TARDIS
Summary: Rose Tyler is about to enter 5th Year at Hogwarts School, only this year is a bit different - the students will have to put their names in the Goblet of Fire to compete in The Hunger Games. Then Rose meets the Doctor - a charming 6th year who Rose befriends. Will Rose be in the Hunger Games? Winning means fame and fourtune - losing means certain death
1. Chapter 1

THE DOCTOR, THE ARENA, AND THE LEGACY OF HARRY POTTER

Chapter1

I pull my battered trunk along the concrete floor of platform 9 and 3/4 and my black cat Jack Harkness is cradled in my arm. My dad walks behind me carrying another of my trunks, smiling and waving at all his old classmates. He taps me on the shoulder, and I turn around and I see a massive grin is plastered on his face. A mix of feelings are bubbling away in my stomach like the Muggle school stews my best friend Mickey Smith had told me about that they eat in the winter back in his boarding school. Platform 9 and 3/4 isn't anything like the happy place Dad had once told me about. There were still fresh memories of the Great War, and it reflected on the parents faces. Old students, I tell myself. They're the ones that saved Hogwarts almost fifteen years ago. I bite my lip and I place my trunk with all the other luggage and dad places my other one next to it. I wrap my arms around his waist tightly and he embraces me. I breath in his smell of cologne and fabric softener, and I realise how much I'm going to miss him.

"Tell mum I'm gonna miss her heaps," I order dad. "And say bye to Mickey, too."

Dad nods. "It's a shame mum couldn't be here," he says. "But we both know the rules."

"Yep," I say softly. "Muggles cannot pass through to platform nine and three quarters."

We hug for what seems forever, and then dad lets go.

"Now," dad says and he holds my shoulders. "Have you got everything? Wand, books, quill?"

"Yes. I'm gonna be fine," I say. Dad looks at me sadly and kisses my forehead. "I'll miss you," he says sadly. I smile at his puppy-dog eyes.

"Bye," I say and I walk off. I see dad disappear through the entry to platform 9 and 3/4, back to the London Station, back to the Muggle world.

I suddenly see a flash of orange hair coming towards me. The person bumped into me, making me stumble over and trip on my own feet, falling to the cold floor with a thud, crashing into a few legs on my way down. Everyone around me starts laughing and sniggering as I start to stand up. The red head turns around with an astonished look on her face, and I take a good look at her. She's an older student, a girl, with blazing orange hair, a horse-like face and blue-green eyes. She extends out a helping hand, and I take it with a thankful smile and bright red cheeks.

"I'm so sorry," she says in a London accent. "I guess I wasn't looking where I was going."

"It's alright," I say in my dirty cockney accent. "I do it all the time. Making an idiot of myself, that is."

The girl laughs. "I guess it's partly my fault. I'm Donna, by the way. Donna Noble." Her hand strikes out and I obediently shake it.

"Rose Tyler." I say and let go.

"You're a fifth year, aren't you?" Donna asks.

"Yeah," I reply. "How'd you know?"

"My brother's a fifth year. I'd know a fifth year from a mile off."

A piercing whistle from the train commander almost deafens everyone in the station and now all the attention is on him, not me, which is a good thing. An eerie silence fills the platform.

"ALL ABOARD!"

I look back at Donna as the loud noise erupts again.

"Well, I'd best be going. Get a good seat and all." I say.

Donna smiles. "Know anyone?" she asks.

I laugh. "I'm not very good at making friends."

"Don't worry," Donna re-assures me. "I was the same on my first day. Maybe you'll meet my brother,"

"Yeah, maybe," I say.

"Anyway, I'll see you later eh?" Donna smiles and waves as her friends pull her onto the train.

I walk to the fifth-years carriage, and wait until everyone in front of me piles onto the train. I notice out of the corner of my eye, a boy is leaning on the platform wall, staring at me with chocolate brown eyes. I look at him and I smile without a second thought. He's dressed in a black sweater and faded blue jeans with old, ratty, red Converse trainers on his feet. Brown, scruffy hair was partly flipped to one side, sticking up on end, his nose straight and thin, sticking out in a point at just the right moment. The pink lips that smiled are thin, and his jaw juts out slightly in a cute way. The line onto the carriage was slow moving, but eventually I was near the front of the queue of students. I didn't notice the boy had somehow ended up next to me. I look up at him and smile. He smells of aftershave and clean skin, and something about him made my stomach do one of those inside-out numbers.

"I saw you fall over there," he says in a cute British accent. "You alright?"

I freeze. Was this really happening? Or was my brain playing tricks on me again...?

"Um, yeah, I guess," I say, and I rub the nape of my neck. The boy chuckles. "How come I haven't seen you around Hogwarts? You new or something?" I ask him.

"No," the boy says. "I got expelled a few years ago, for exploding a laboratory, but my parents begged the school to take me back. You don't remember me?" I try to recall the boy in a younger form, but nothing springs to mind.

"No, sorry." After a moment, he clears his throat and waits for a few more people to step onto the train.

"So, I guess you have a compartment load of friends waiting for you, eh?" the boy asks me. I look down at my feet and take a big step onto the dark turquoise carpet of the train.

"Nah," I say. "But you don't look like you're that popular yourself."

The boy smiles. "Yeah, you're right." He slips his hand in my own and pulls me along the hallway of the train.

"We can find a place, then. Allons-y."

Halfway down the carriage we found an open compartment, and the boy slid open the door for me with a cheeky grin. I sat myself down, and Jack jumped out of my arms onto the soft cushion of the seat next to me. The boy sits opposite me and stares at Jack's bright green eyes.

"So who's this then?" the boy asks me, pointing at Jack.

"Oh, this is Jack. Captain Jack," I say with a ridiculous smile that I've had stuck on my face since I've met this boy. Jack jumps off the seat and into the lap of the boy. He scratches Jack under the chin and smiles. "And who are you?"

The boy shoots out his hand. "I'm the Doctor."

"The Doctor?"

"Well, my real name is-"

"JONATHAN SMITH!" a familiar voice shouts from down the hall of the carriage. She slides the door open with such force it makes the Doctor and I almost jump a metre in the air. "There you are! Rory told me that you were somewhere with Craig. I've been looking all over for you, lugging your bloody suitcase up and down these carriages. Blimey, I swear that bloody thing is bigger on the inside. And don't even get me started on the owl."

"Oh, whoops. I totally forgot." The boy says and helps the person bring the bags in and place them up on the top shelf.

The girl comes into our compartment, and then her horse like face comes into view. It's Donna.

"Oh, hello again," she says to me.

The boy looks at me with a confused look. "You two know each other?" he asks me.

I look up at Donna and she laughs.

"You could say that," she giggles and sits down next to the boy. "This lump's my step-brother, by the way."

"Constant reminder that she can boss me around whenever our parents aren't here," the boy tells me. Donna digs him in the ribs and the boy yelps like a five year old girl. He scares Jack. "Well, you need someone to look after you." "Excuse me," the boy says. "I'm very capable of taking care of myself, thank you very much,"

Donna laughs. "You call 'looking after yourself' walking into a pole, eh? Remember last week?" The boys cheeks glow bright red. "I couldn't help it," he says. "That book was really interesting." I giggle. It was funny watching brother and sister quarrel over absolutely nothing. I thought it was unusual, though, since I don't have any siblings.

"Anyway, I'll see you guys later," Donna says after a moment. "The train's gonna leave in a few minutes." The door squeaked open and closed with a bang. "Anyway, you were saying," I say as Jack jumps up on my lap. I scratch him under the chin and he lets out a contented purr.

The boy cocks his head to the side, but then realises what I mean. "Oh, right. I'm the Doctor."

I laugh. "You were about to tell me your real name." I correct.

"John Smith," he says. "But seriously, just call me Doctor."

"Okay then, Doctor." I say. His hand stretches out in the same manner of his sister's, and I shake it.

"Rose Tyler."

"Pleasure to meet you, Rose Tyler," the Doctor smiles.

I stroke the silky lump that's on my lap and I try to think of what to say. Then I remember getting that letter in the mail about the Hunger Games, and asking how many times you'd like your name to be in the tributes bowl.

"So. How many times is your name in the tributes bowl?" I ask him.

"Oh, only five times. Nothing spectacular." the Doctor says. "What about you?" I don't want to say. Doctor had only put his name is five times, and that seems like nothing compared to mine. "Forty-two," I say. The Doctors eyes widen in astonishment, and I smile in embarrassment. "Wow," the Doctor says. "You're pretty brave." I don't know what he's talking about. I mean, The Hunger Games is an eating competition, right?

"Yeah," I say. "I can eat ten pies in ten minutes. What about you?"

The Doctor looks confused. "What has that got to do with anything?" he asks me.

"The Hunger Games is an eating competition, isn't it?" I ask.

The Doctor's jaw hangs open and his eyes widen even more. "You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, do you?"

"And what's that?"

"A very bad position."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Hunger Games

The train shuddered into the Hogwarts Station and streams of students filed out onto the platform. I wanted to stay with the Doctor, but I lost him in the mob of students. And now, I was left alone. Again. Well, at least I have Jack to keep me company.  
A tall, middle-aged woman with striking green eyes and brown hair twisted into a long side braid stepped onto the platform and raised her wand up to her neck. Her voice boomed all over the station.

"Welcome students, I am Katniss Everdeen, your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Could the first years please follow Professor Mellark and the rest of you follow me. Leave your luggage on the train as it will be delivered to your quarters."  
I looked around the station and saw all the little first years gather next to Professor Mellark, our charms teacher, and the rest of us were following Professor Everdeen like a herd of sheep. Then I saw Doctor with a group of his old friends, some I can recognise from my old classes, and some I just know from around the school. Rory Williams and Amy Pond are the first people I recognise (Amy has blazing red hair that you can't miss, and Rory has a nose like a toucan), then I see Donna and Primrose Everdeen (Professor Everdeen's younger sister) and then I see Hermione and Ron Weasley's daughter Rosemary, who I don't really know that well.  
The Doctor glances at me and smiles, bouncing on the balls of his feet, still in his ratty converse trainers. He leaves his friends and walks towards me, but when he opened his mouth to speak to me, he caught glimpse of someone over my shoulder and brushed right passed me and left without a word. I never thought that The Doctor could've been so rude.  
I turned to follow Professor Everdeen to the dining hall with Jack clung tightly on my shoulder, when someone grabbed my arm.  
"What was that about?" a voice asked me. "I mean, the Doctor never really speaks to anyone these days."  
I turn to face the person and I smile when I see her. It's Martha Jones, one of my good friends with my her boyfriend Mickey Smith's hand in hers.  
"Hey, Martha," I say, and I give her the biggest bear hug. Jack climbs up onto my head for protection. I look at Mickey and I smile.  
Mickey and I go way back in the Muggle world. We used to be best friends, neighbours, and we both opened our Hogwarts letters together, then he asked me out last year and then we broke up because I 'didn't have enough time for him' or something stupid. It's not my fault I was drowning in potions homework because Professor Hawthorne hates me.  
Mickey kisses Martha on the crown of her head and goes off to find his friends. Martha and I start walking with the mob of people headed for the dining hall. Jack claws his way down into my arms.  
"How do you know The Doctor?" she asks me.  
"I don't know him," I explain. "We just sat on the train together, that's all."  
Martha nodded with a cheeky grin. "That's all?" she says mischievously.  
"Yes."

***

"So, what exactly is The Hunger Games?" I ask Martha as we sit down next to each other on the Ravenclaw table for the Welcome Back Feast.  
"Well, it's basically a fight to the death. Every student has to put their names in the bowl at least once, otherwise they have their magic taken away as punishment," Martha explains as she reaches her hand out to the plate of fried chicken wings. "If you get reaped, you get taken on a train to a special training facility in the Capitol for two weeks, then they put you in an arena and you face off with the other tributes until a lone victor remains and everyone else is dead."  
My heart skips a beat. What have I done? What am I going to do?  
I can't eat my dinner since my heart is in my throat thumping a million miles an hour, and my stomach is a washing machine, swirling around with I stare off into the distance, worried and as scared as ever. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. Oh god.  
"Rose?" Martha says and she nudges my arm. I snap out of my dream state and reach for some pork crackling.  
I look down the table and spot the Doctor stuffing his face with different foods, gravy and greasy fat is smeared across his mouth and is dripping off his chin. He looks around the table for more food and then he catches my glance. He smiles and waves madly, and I circle my mouth with my index finger, indicating he needs to wipe his mouth with a napkin. He nods and gives me a thumbs up and wipes his mouth on his sleeve. Nice.  
After about half an hour of of everyone eating and catching up on their summers and splurging the latest gossip throughout the students, the Prefects ordered all the students below fifth year to go to their dorms, and the other three years stay behind. Surely this has something to do with The Reaping.  
Our Headmaster, Professor Harry Potter, stands up out of his throne-like chair and walks around the other teachers to get to his lectern, which has a golden owl on the front with candles lit around the and the candles hot wax dripping on the wooden floor. Deputy Head Mistress, and leader of Ravenclaw, Professor Effie McGonagall tapped her spoon against her crystal wine glass, which was surprisingly loud against the wall of noise all the students were creating.  
"Your attention please!" she said loudly. The room fell silent and we all awaited Professor Potter's announcement. My stomach gurgled a mix of fear and anxiety and tears stung my eyes, already knowing the outcome of The Hunger Games. In a few weeks, I'll be dead. Gone. Poof.  
"Students," Potter said.  
Harry Potter - The Boy Who Lived - has been our headmaster since Hogwarts was re-built fifteen years ago. He's a lovely person, so caring of all his students and so wise. He defeated Voldemort and saved so many lives and the school all those years ago. He's a brave and noble man, and if it weren't for him, all of us wouldn't be standing here. And it's also his fault that The Hunger Games exist.  
"I'd like to welcome you all back to Hogwarts for another splendid year of magic and learning. The past few years have been tough in all of us, especially some of the older students who helped re-build Hogwarts when they were just first-years. We have lost many we have loved, including the greatest wizard there will ever be, our Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. May he rest in peace and may he be remembered by each and every one of you. At times, it looked like there was no light at the end of tunnel, but this school stands as a defence against the darkness. Within these walls walks your future, and it is indeed a bright one. No matter our past, we can carry on."  
Potter steps down from his lectern.  
"Now, it is that time of year again," Potter continues. "That we choose our six tributes from each house to compete in The Hunger Games. Now, we have a very special film, brought to you all the way from The Capitol."  
A screen floats down from the roof and a film starts playing from a projector. Screenshots and little moving pictures play throughout the film as a voice-over man talks about the history behind The Hunger Games.

_"War, terrible war. Orphans, a motherless child. This was the uprising brought to our land by He Who Must Not Be Named. One school rebelled against the army, brother turned on brother until the army was defeated. Then, people rose from the ashes, and a new era was born. But freedom has a cost, and the traitors were defeated, and we swore as a school, that we we would never know this treason again. And so it was decreed, that each house of Hogwarts would offer up, in tribute, three courageous young men and women to fight to the death to show honour, courage and sacrifice. The lone victor, bathed in riches, would serve as a reminder of our generosity, and our forgiveness. This is how we remember our past. This is how we safeguard our future_."

"I just LOVE that," Potter exclaims as the film ends. "Now, the Reapings will be held at different times for the four houses next week. The days will be posted outside your quarters and I suggest you all get a good nights sleep before each of your Reapings, because you never know what might happen. Happy Hunger Games!" He winks and smiles and each of the tables. "And, may the odds be ever in your favour."  
I guess the odds aren't exactly in my favour.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Fears

I can't sleep.  
So many things are running through my mind like a hamster in a wheel as I sit by the window in the fifth year Ravenclaw girl's dormitory. A hand-knitted blanket is wrapped around me. The edges were velvet, and I couldn't help myself to run my fingers across the silky fabric repeatedly, which made me somewhat calmer. I sat there quietly, my arms wrapped around my waist in a hug, hoping to comfort myself. My body gently rocked back and fourth, my cheeks are stained with an endless stream of tears from my glossy eyes, and my body enduring the wave of emotions surging through it.  
Captain Jack sat next to me, his bright green eyes shone in the darkness against his black fur. The moonlight poured through the window panes, and I could see silhouettes of the bedroom behind me.  
I rested my chin on my knees and closed my eyes, trying to get to sleep but my eyes stung with tears. Jack's purring was calming and peaceful, and i could feel my eyelids getting heavier and heavier until I was lulled into a light sleep.

_Professor McGonagall stood at the front of the Ravenclaw house in her satin pink corset and bright pink lips and snow white hair... She placed her hand upon the Goblet of Fire and drew it away, then the blue flames in the goblet turned bright red and spat out a piece of parchment ... All the students drew in a breath and the room fell so silent, you could hear a pin drop at any moment... McGonagall caught the parchment and flipped it over and read out a name... "Rose Tyler"..._

I awoke in a cold sweat, panting heavily, still sitting next to the window. I touched my face just to assure that it was all just a dream and now I was shaking in fear.  
"Rose?" Martha calls in a whisper. "You ok?"  
I see Martha standing in the doorway in her blue and white striped pyjamas, and her hair, a dark mess.  
"Yeah," I say, and I run my fingers through my blonde hair. Jack is asleep in a perfect circle at my feet. He looked so peaceful and I didn't want to wake him. "Just a bad dream..."  
Martha nods. "Well, it's only 5:30, but I'd get changed if I were you - beat the rush to the showers and all."  
I smile at her as she leaves, her bare feet slapping against the cold concrete floor.  
I move into the girl's bathroom and hear a faint radio playing Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and a deep, masculine voice singing along, and then the voice stops.  
"Oh, hello!" it says chirpily. I turn and find The Doctor in front of the sink, brushing his teeth. White foam brims at the edges of his thin lips and spots of dribbled toothpaste are splattered on his nightshirt. I gave him a puzzled look.  
"What are you doing in the girl's bathroom?" I ask him curiously. The Doctor scrubs his teeth and spits out the remaining toothpaste.  
"You don't want to know what kind of scum is in the boy's bathroom," The Doctor laughs. "There are pants everywhere and it smells like a combination of body odour and wet dog all the time. It's always wet and on the toilet floor, it's like a urine tsunami. I seriously think the guys in Ravenclaw should go to a urine-aiming school."  
I start laughing. "And what - your aim is perfect?"  
"Why yes," The Doctor says and gives me a smug look. He rinses his mouth out with the water from the tap and some of the water back-splashes on him. He collects his toothbrush and toothpaste and stands next to me. The song on the radio changes to "Fix You" by Coldplay.  
"How's everything going? You know, with The Hunger Games and everything?" he asks after a moment.  
The question hits me like a ton of bricks. Not like it has before, this is like a whole new kettle of fish. That question coming from The Doctor's mouth made me feel even more shame than ever before.  
"I don't know," I say, since it's seems they are the only words my memory has remembered. The Doctor gives me a sympathetic smile.  
"I hear that Amy Pond is the most popular to be drawn out for Gryffindor. She put her name in 50 times, but she's a career tribute, so there's no big surprise there. She's an animal that girl - she's the best at sport, and has a great aim with a bow. I saw her in training once, and her coach let out two turtle doves, and he shot both of them with one arrow. Amazing stuff that was.."  
Hearing those words, words of insane terror, made me come to a conclusion - I was going to be picked and I will be dead in less than two weeks. Amy Pond, who is physically and mentally ready for The Hunger Games will kill me in an instance. I'm weak and I have massive curves and I'm not ready, in no way. It'll be like a cheetah hunting a gazelle I once saw on a documentary. The gazelle is just minding its own business, when all of a sudden, a cheetah comes out from nowhere. The gazelle springs to action, leaping out of control, while the cheetah is graceful, taking long strides with its powerful legs. The gazelle tries to dodge the cheetah with swift and sharp turns, but nothing could beat the cheetah's agility. The cheetah catches up to the gazelle, and pounces on its back and sinks its teeth into the gazelle.

"Because that makes me feel a whole lot better," I say sarcastically, my voice wobbling and my eyes brimming with tears. The Doctor's face screws up, and it looks as if he might cry.

"I'm sorry."  
He wraps his muscly arm around me in a big bear hug, and his head tucks into the nape of my neck. I put my arms on his back, and that's when the tears start. I bury my head on his shoulder and my sobs are muffled against his warm skin. The radio plays softly in the background.

_Tears stream, down your face  
I promise you I'll learn from my mistakes  
Tears stream, down your face, and I..._

***

"Kids! Gather round!" Our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher Professor Katniss Everdeen shouts and the class comes to a halt around their tables. I'm sat next to Martha, and I can see the Doctor on the other side of the room, flipping around what looks like a wand, but it looks very mechanical and a blue lightbulb is attached to the end.  
"I hope you all had a great holiday, but now it's time to get stuck into some school work!" Everdeen says joyfully, and the whole class groans.  
Everdeen moves to the front of the classroom and stands in front of a tall, olden day-style wardrobe where the teachers hang their robes  
"Does anyone know what is in the cupboard?" Everdeen says loudly. She knocks on the door and something inside makes the wardrobe almost tip over.  
"Nothing to worry about," Professor Everdeen says calmy, but most of the class thought that there was something to worry about. "There's a boggart in there."  
Rory Williams gave Professor Everdeen a look of pure terror, and Mickey was eyeing the twisting doorknob.  
"Boggarts live in small, dark spaces, like under your bed or in a grandfather clock - I even met one under my kitchen sink. This boggart moved in two days ago, and I asked the Headmaster if I could use it for fifth-year practice.  
"So, then we ask, well, what exactly is a boggart?"  
Martha put her hand up.  
"It's a shape-shifter, ma'am. It takes shape of whatever we fear the most," she answers.  
"Quite right Miss Jones," Everdeen says and Martha glowed. "So now we know that this boggart in the wardrobe is a creature that lives in the dark and takes shape of what we fear the most, but has not taken a form yet. I does not know what is on the other side of the door, and nobody knows what a boggart looks like when it is alone, but it will immediately take shape of what we fear most when we let him out."  
Lucy Saxon, who is seated at the back of the classroom, lets out a splutter of fear, but Professor Everdeen chooses to ignore it.  
"And we have a huge advantage over the boggart, and that is that we have lots of people with lots of different fears, so the boggart will become confused if i let it out now. And that goes to show that it's best to have company when dealing with a boggart."  
Professor Everdeen knocked on the wardrobe again and the boggart went crazy.  
'The charm that repels a Boggart is simple, but it takes strength at courage to confront you fears - laughter.  
"We will practise the charm without wands for now. And, repeat after me - riddikulus!"  
" Riddikulus!' the class chimed back.  
"Good," Professor Everdeen. "Very good. Now, bring your wands and yourselves and form a line infront of the wardrobe"  
Everyone pushed and shoved to get a good spot in the line. I end up second from the front, behind Martha.  
"Now Martha," Professor Everdeen says. "Step forward, and I will let the boggart out of the wardobe. Wand at the ready!"  
Professor Everdeen puts the needle of old gramophone onto a record, and a jazzy, upbeat song came on. She slowly unlocked the wardrobe with her wand and the wardrobe door squeaked open. A snake slithered out of the wardrobe, a cobra to be precise. I could see Martha was squirming as the snake slithered over her feet and it hissed at her. Martha pointed her wand at the wriggling snake, her hand shaking in fear.  
"Riddikulus!" she exclaimed.  
The snake then folded over itself, and in a few seconds, it became a balloon animal. The whole class erupted in laughter and Martha skipped down to the back of the queue, receiving a few high-fives on the way. Now, it's my turn.  
I honestly didn't know what the boggart was going to turn into when I stepped forward. I'm afraid of lots of things - falling from dizzying heights, spiders, mice, but sure enough, right here and now, i knew exactly what i was afraid of.  
The boggart had turned itself into the Goblet Of Fire.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The Reaping

I kept my head down as Martha and I walked out Defence Against The Dark Arts. I could already hear the rumours that will be spread around the school:

"Hey, look, there's that Rose girl"  
"Whats her problem?"  
"Why's she so scared of a goblet?"

I try to push the thought from my mind.  
"You ok Rose?" Martha asks.  
"Yeah, yeah, I'm good," I lied. I couldn't tell Martha. She wouldn't understand how I feel. I don't think anyone would. I keep my head down as we walk along the moving staircases.  
"Well I have Charms next, what about you?" Martha asks.  
"Potions," I sigh. "I'll see you back in the common room."  
"Yeah, and don't forget our Reaping is tonight."  
Great.

***  
I exited Potions with an armful of homework and a blank expression on my face. I noticed on the ground where the floor intersects with the wall, are a pair of old, tatty Converse occupied by long, skinny legs. I look up and see the Doctor, leaning up against the wall. I smile at him and walk past - I don't want to start a conversation with him, I was already embarrassed enough because of our moment in the girl's bathroom.  
I trot down a flight of moving stairs to get to the Ravenclaw common room, when something snags my arm - correction- someone.  
I turn around and see the Doctor, with a concerned look. He pulls me aside quickly.  
"You alright, Rose?" The Doctor asks.  
"Yeah, I'm fine," I lie, holding back a sob. The Doctor steps forward and holds my shoulders.  
"Don't worry. You'll be fine. There are heaps of other names in that goblet, from three different year groups. Don't worry."  
He pulls me into a hug, and I wrap my arms around his neck.  
"I'll see you tonight," he says and winks at me before he walks off.  
In the Ravenclaw common room, there are a few older students laughing and messing around, the girls flirting with the boys and the boys flirting back. How hard the girls try to impress the boys makes me sick. They look like they don't have a care in the world about The Hunger Games. They probably put their names in only once or twice, and then I think. If everyone in Ravenclaw only put their name in once, there's a very big chance, and almost certainly my name is going to be drawn. I walk up the stairs to the girls rooms and dump my schools stuff down on my bed and I get ready for The Reaping.

***  
Every Ravenclaw student sits in the Great Hall across the four tables. I sit with Martha, and The Doctor sits across us. The Doctor gives me a reassuring smile. My stomach swirls around and around, my head pounds to the rhythm of my heartbeat. I'm absolutely terrified.  
Bright and bubbly as ever, Effie McGonagall stands at the front of the room, her pink robe drifting behind her, her fuchsia pink hair sat on her head, drowning in chemicals and her face caked in makeup. She puts her wand up to her throat.  
"Welcome," she says. "Welcome, welcome. Happy Hunger Games. And may the odds be ever in your favour."  
She goes on and on about what an honour it is to represent your house in the Hunger Games, and how lucky she is to be with Ravenclaw, but everyone knows she's aching to get moved to Gryffindor where real victors are made.  
She moves over to the Goblet of Fire.  
"Now, the time has come to select our six courageous men and women. As usual, ladies first."  
I cross my fingers under the table and tears sting my eyes.  
Effie puts her hand up onto the goblet, and the red flame turn blue. A piece of parchment flies out from the goblet. Effie catches it with her long, pink nails. She clears her throat, the room draws a collective breaths, and at this point the room is so silent you can hear a pin drop, and I desperately hope that it's not me.  
Effie smooths out the piece of parchment and reads it out is a clear voice. And it's not me.  
It's Donna Noble.  
Donna walks up to the stage, the blood drained from her face, her fists bunched at her sides. I look at the Doctor, his face is buried in his hands. His body shudders like he's crying. I want to reach out to him, but I think it's best if I leave him be.  
The Goblet shoots out another name, and Effie reads out the name, but I don't know her. She's a small girl, quite plump and not the best looking either. She stands next to Donna and my spirits start to lift a bit. The odds are outweighing each other, and there's a good chance that my name wont be called.  
Effie catches the last piece of parchment, clears her throat, and I squirm with anticipation.  
Please not me, please not me, please not me...  
"Rose Tyler."  
No.  
There must be some mistake. This can't be happening. She didn't call my name. But she did.  
I feel numb. I feel tears brimming in my eyes but I brush them away. The Reaping will be re-played tomorrow and I don't want to look like an easy target, a weakling. I walk with stiff steps up to the front of the room, everyone's eyes glaring at me. I don't feel safe.  
I feel vulnerable.  
I look back at Martha who's tearing up, and then I look at the Doctor, who's face is still buried in his hands. Effie smiles at me as I stand next to Donna, who has put on a brave face for the time being, and I do the same.  
"And now," Effie announces. "For the boys."  
She puts her hand back on the goblet, and a piece of parchment shoots out from the blue flames.  
"Mickey Smith."  
Oh no. Not him. The odds are definitely not in my favour today. I watch him as he makes his way up to the front. Medium height, stocky build, very short dark hair and dark skin. My ex boyfriend. Why him?  
I try to convince myself that it doesn't matter because we are not friends. We don't speak anymore. There will be twenty four of us. Odds are that someone else will kill him before I do. But the odds aren't very dependable right now.  
Another name is called, but again, I don't know him. And then the last name flutters down into Effie's hand.  
"John Noble."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The Golden Girl

We arrive at the Capitol after a long train ride on the Hogwarts Express. The Ravenclaw tributes meet our mentor, Dumblemitch - a potbellied middle-aged man who hollers something none of us seem to understand as we all get off the train. He's drunk. Very. He tries to give Effie a big hug, which she barely manages to fend off, and the Doctor and I can't help but laugh.  
"Welcome Ravenclaw tributes," he slurs. "My name is Dumblemitch, and if you don't already know, I will be your mentor for the next few weeks. Firstly we're going to make you all over into beautiful butterflies, and then I will meet you all in our room later."  
Dumblemitch leads us into the Remake Centre, where stylists will work on our appearance to help get us sponsors for the Games.  
My stylist, Cho, waxes my legs, gives my hair a wash and lops my blonde hair into a shoulder length bob with a side fringe. Two other stylists give me a good scrub down, trim my nails, give me a facial and shape my eyebrows.  
"Wonderful!" Cho exclaims in her Capitol accent as she steps back into the room. "She looks much more desirable now than before. And when Cinna's through with her, she's going to be fighting men off with a stick - literately!"  
The two stylists laugh in a high pitched tone, and I give Cho a sarcastic smile.  
"Let's bring in Cinna!" one of the stylists exclaims.  
The three of them leave the room, and I'm left staring up at the white marble ceiling. From across the room, I see Donna and her prep team. She's yelling at them because they gave her a fringe, when she specifically told them not to. I flinch when the door opens, and a young man with a circular glass eye enters the room. I'm blown away by how normal he looks, compared to the other stylists, who are tattooed, dyed and stencilled. Apart from the obvious glass eye which stays on thanks to a black strap and a prosthetic leg that makes him limp when he walks, he seems very plain and simple, just like the other tributes and I. The only alteration I notice is a fleck of gold eyeliner on his normal eye.  
"Hello Rose, I'm Cinna Moody, you're stylist," he says, without the Capitol accent he mustn't have.  
"Hello," I say quietly.  
"Just give me a moment, ok?" He asks.  
He walks around my body, which is dressed in a hospital robe. He doesn't poke or prod me, but takes in every inch of me with his eyes. I resist crossing my arms over my chest.  
"Why don't we talk this over with your training partner and his stylist?" Cinna says.  
He leads me into a fancy room out the back of the Remake Centre, with red carpet floor, mirrored walls, red couches and a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. To my surprise, the Doctor is sitting on a couch with a lady who must be his stylist. She has really long pink eyelashes, snow white cheeks, bright purple lips, teal and purple hair and her right arm is covered in tattoos.  
"Rose, this is my partner, Luna, who is the stylist for your fellow tribute, John," Cinna tells me. Luna shakes my hand and I sit on the couch next to the Doctor.  
"This is Luna and I's first year in The Games." Cinna tells us.  
"So they gave you Ravenclaw?" The Doctor says. Newcomers are usually given Ravenclaw, the least desirable house.  
"I asked for Ravenclaw," Cinna says without further explanation. "Now, about your costumes for the Tribute's Parade, our current thought on costumes is complementary costumes,"  
"As you know, it's a custom to reflect each house in your costumes." Luna tells us.  
For the opening ceremonies, you're supposed to wear something that reflects your house - Gryffindor, bravery, courage, the lion, Slytherin, cunning, mysterious, the serpent, Hufflepuff, the potato one, and Ravenclaw, intelligent, fair, the Eagle. Since the Doctor and I are from Ravenclaw, we will be in some school uniform/geek getup. That is the usual costume for Ravenclaw, or the stylists dress us up in a skimpy outfit and put glasses on us. Ravenclaw is always dreadful, and I'm bracing for the worst.  
"So, we'll be in a school uniform outfit?" I ask.  
"This year, Luna and I have decided to do something totally different," Cinna says. He pulls a sheet of thin paper and slides it on the table in front of us. It looks extravagant.  
Cinna has designed me a strapless gold dress with two giant gold eagle wings attached to the back. The Doctor's is a swanky gold tailcoat with the same wings as mine. The Doctor and I awe in amazement.  
"Do you like it?" Cinna asks us.  
"Like? I LOVE it!" The Doctor beams. Cinna smiles.  
"The idea of the Tributes Parade is to be noticed and to get sponsors," Cinna says. "Most of the houses constrict their costumes to something that dilutes their tributes. Luna and I thought, instead of going for a boring costume, we thought we'd make it more, exciting,"  
"Exciting?" I say. "That's the understatement of the year!"

A few hours later, I'm dressed in the most sensational costume in the opening ceremonies. Since Ravenclaw's emblem is an eagle, Cinna tried his best to make eagle-shaped wings for the Doctor and I. The wings are made of a metal, which isn't too heavy on my back. My face is relatively clear of makeup, except for a gold streak of paint that goes from my temple, across my eyes and the bridge of my nose, and to the other side of my temple. My hair is tied up in a bun, my side fringe has been curled with a curling wand and little strands hang loose around my hairline. The Doctor looks handsome in his tailcoat. He has a gold streak of paint, like me, and his wings are attached to his coat. He pulls out something that looks like a wand from the inside of his tailcoat. It looks complex, Cinna approaches me, and fixes up my hair.  
"You look beautiful," he tells me, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. "I want them to remember you in the arena, Rose, as the Golden Girl."  
I smile. All of Cinna's styling team are absolutely giddy over the entrance we will make. We make our way down to the bottom floor of the Remake Centre, with is almost like a stable. The opening ceremony is about to start, and pairs of tributes are being loaded in the chariots pulled by a team of four horses. Our's are champagne yellow. Cinna and Luna direct us onto the chariot, carefully arrange our body positions and go to consult with each other.  
"What do you think," The Doctor says. "About the costume?"  
"It's quite the jaw-dropper, I must say," I smile. The Doctor grins.  
"You looks nice," he says. He slips his hand into mine, like the first time I met him at Platform 9 3/4. There's a moment of silence, and I observe all of the houses.  
A Gryffindor pair are wearing striking red unitards with lion head pieces. A Slytherin pair are stark-naked and painted a teal colour, with only snake scales to cover their parts. The Hufflepuff teams haven't arrived yet.  
"Do you know where Dumblemitch is? Shouldn't he be here?" The Doctor states. I look up at his wings.  
"With all that alcohol in him, I don't think it's advisable to be near hard, metal objects that could potentially knock him out."  
For the first time in a while, we're both laughing. I guess we're so nervous about the Games we're not acting sensibly.  
The Hogwarts Anthem starts playing, and the Doctor and I drop our hands. Hufflepuff arrive just in time to load their tributes into their chariots and get in line to go out into the streets.  
Two massive doors open to reveal the crowd that have come to see us, which Cinna tells us, is a few hundred thousand. He also tells us that the ride lasts about fifteen-to-twenty minutes and will end up in the Capitol Circle, which is where they will escort us to the Training Centre. Gryffindor leaves first. Their costumes are vibrant shades of maroon and yellow, some have lion concepts, and one pair are sprayed in a mosaic of Gryffindor colours. It's obvious by the crowd roaring, that Gryffindor are the favourites.  
Hufflepuff line up next, and soon enough, the last pair of Slytherins are ready to roll out. Cinna and Luna adjust our costumes one last time.  
"Now, remember, heads high, smile. They're going to love you!" Luna tells us.  
"Good luck," Cinna says. The horses start to move the chariot, and I loose my balance for a minute. The Doctor grabs my hand for balance.  
The crowds initial reaction to our appearance quickly changes to cheers of "Ravenclaw!". Every head is turned our way, pulling the focus three chariots ahead of us. At first, I'm frozen, and then I catch a glimpse of myself on a large television screen, and I'm taken away of how extraordinary we look. Against the deep twilight of the Capitol sky, our gold wings illuminate our faces, and then I realise why - Cinna has put fire on the tips of the wings. The Doctor gives me a worried look, and I turn around to see Cinna, who is standing in the departure room. He gives me a nod of reassurance. I turn back to the crowd, and give them my best smile, and wave with my free hand. As I gain more confidence, I blow kisses to the crowd, and they shower us with flowers and begin to shout our names. Cinna has given us a great advantage. No one will forget us.


End file.
